Only four more weeks to go and the last international freestyle battle will go down at the Zeil- and Surfcentrum Brouwersdam, Holland. By this day 36 men and 10 women signed up to compete at one of the best freestyle windsurfing spots in the world. From the 12th through to the 15th of October 2017, the EFPT final should be once again an event to remember – not only for the riders, but also for the hundreds of spectators that make their way to the Northsea every year, to be part of DAM-X! We have been catching up with Rick Jendrusch (Severne), who helps running the center, is deeply involved into the organisation of the event and besides that, is one of the EFPTs top ten contenders for many years. Read now why you, as a rider or as a spectator, should definitely join the DAM-X 2017!

EFPT: First of all congratulations to you and your family to this amazing new center! Can you tell us some hard facts about it?

Rick: Thank you! Sure no problem! The windsurf shop / reception and restaurant was completely broke down last November. We totally rebuilt it from scratch, which was a lot of work. Luckily the weather was on our side this winter so we could finish the building in only five months. The shop has double the size now and the restaurant has around 100 places more. We’ve seen way more people this summer and a lot of new people we had never seen before and that is so cool to get people at your spot and say: ‘Wow! It’s amazing a shame we have never been here before.’

New Zeil & Surfcentrum in Brouwersdam

EFPT: What is the heart of the Zeil- and Surfcentrum in Brouwersdam?

Rick: There is not just one particular thing that stands out. It makes the combination of everything that makes it a good result, one without the other would not succeed as good as it does together. The concept like this is just perfect. We always say when the dad goes windsurfing, the kids can use the waterjump and the mother can shop, afterwards they can all drink something in the restaurant. But of course windsurfing is our core, this is what we stand for!

EFPT: It is the third time you help organising the DAM-X event. During the event you are a rider, just like all the other guys, yet what are your tasks before the show starts?

Rick: There is a lot of organisation before the event, what a lot of people don’t see. My main tasks are marketing, sponsors for the event, floor plan, program and the connection and organisation with the riders so that everything is good for them. Small detail on the side – I’ve only been a rider the first year as I was injured last year unfortunately, and this year I’m actually also not sure yet if I will compete but for that read the rest of the interview 😉

Rick Jendrusch getting interviewed by local TV at the DAM-X 2016

EFPT: This year the event had to be downgraded due to the high expenses for the new center. What can we expect from the DAM-X 2017?

Rick: Yes, because of our long season that started for us already in November because of the rebuilding, we just didn’t have that much time to organise everything and the budget is just lower as the other years. But we definitely want to make it the best event for the riders. We put a little bit more effort in to guarantee them a better experience and try to make it a little bit more professional for them as athletes.

You can expect a really fun event with lots of activities for everyone. We never had so much interest from outside the windsurfing scene for this event before, so we have some cool things for you. This extends from activities to all different kind of goodies. The rest of the event will be just the same as last year with some small changes everywhere. Of course we always want to make it better, so that’s what we try to do and we hope it will be for everyone.

Antoine Albert (Goya/Goya) putting on a show in last years tow-in

EFPT: 36 men and 10 women signed up so far to compete. Amongst the competitors we realized a significantly higher attendance of ‚EFPT rookies‘ at the DAM-X event (also in the past years). How are your feelings regarding this?

Rick: We have a big group of young boys & girls here with a really good level in freestyle. I guess this has different reasons. I’m sure one is that there are so many really, really good windsurfers around here. You only need to look at the ‘local top freestylers’ around here like Davy Scheffers, Dieter Van der Eyken (Starboard/Severne), Steven Van Broeckhoven (JP/Neilpryde), Yentel Caers (JP) and so on. The wind conditions around here are perfect for freestyle: flat water and a lot of wind most of the year, so they can sail a lot. Also events as the Dam-X help young people to stay and get motivated for windsurfing and freestyle so I think if we didn’t organise events like this around the world windsurfing would die slowly.

One more thing is the rookie class here, we have a group of young people who are training windsurfing every Saturday. It’s like football where you go to your sport every week and this motivates a lot of kids because they do it with their friends.

Rick Jendrusch in action

EFPT: Where do you hope to take the event in the future?

Rick: We really organise this event for the sport of windsurfing and that’s also the future. We really want to make the event better for the windsurfers. That can result in the next years in more prize money, more coverage and better facilities for them. We want to be that event where riders really want to go, because it’s just super good. For sure we also want to give the event more value and maybe we want to bring in slalom in the future! And yeah what’s next? We don’t know but we think its nice how it is and we can just make it bigger and better!

EFPT: Do you see yourself working much in the event organisation in the future or do you have different plans?

Rick: Yes I think I’ll do more of this, but only in connection with Brouwersdam. I’m focusing more and more on working in and around the center in Brouwersdam than ever before and I really like it! So I think my future is here but that is what I really love. I studied event organisation and I really like it! A dream of course is to organise a big windsurfing event like Sylt! So yes that’s what we are working for maybe 😉

EFPT: Windsurfing-wise you were sailing some impressive heats this year! What are your expectations for the event at your homespot?

Rick: Thank you, that’s actually a good question. I’m super happy how my performance was this year but one small problem now is that I’m not even sure if I can compete! I dislocated my shoulder again three weeks ago. I’m training like hell to get it ready for the event but yeah, I’m not sure yet if I can make it.

EFPT: What is your plan after the DAM-X is finished? Any winter escape plans?

Rick: Because of the shoulder I’m not sure. I maybe have to go to surgery and then it will take me six months on rehab. Then I’ll just have to stay at home all winter. Pretty bad for once! Haha!

EFPT: Anything you want to add for riders who are still hesitating to enter the DAM-X 2017?

Rick: Guys and girls your going to love the event! As you know we don’t have the big prize money this year, but because of that we really stepped up with some other things! You will enjoy it more and the value is bigger. It also the Final of the EFPT and we will have a big party (PS: even bigger then other years)! Furthermore it is just straight after the PWA in Sylt, so you can keep the costs low and the travel short by doing two events in three weeks! Perfect!!! So guys I see you here from 12th – 15th October! Really appreciate it!

Check out the highlight clip from the DAM-X 2016! We’ll see you in four weeks!!!